Men and women are equal. Period. Women are not weaker than men, less intelligent than men, or in any way less capable than men. But, throughout history, women have been considered inferior. Women have had to fight for every step towards gender equality. Until heroic leaders stood up for their rights, women couldn’t vote and weren’t provided with basic education. Many people believe sexism is a thing of the past and present-day feminists are often viewed as extremists, battling for a cause that is no longer relevant. But, even today, not a single country, not even the U.S., a nation built upon the value of equality, has established complete gender equality. Sexism appears in all shapes and sizes, from an offhand comment to an irreversible action. In developing countries, countless women are still, in 2015, subject to domestic violence and female infanticide. As Golda Meir said, “To be successful, a woman has to be much better at her job than a man.” Women may be allowed to work, but for every dollar a man makes, a woman with the same job makes seventy-seven cents. Additionally, in courts across the country, rape victims are blamed or disregarded, while the rapist goes free. Recently, a young Pakistani girl, Malala Yousafzai, was shot for trying to attend school and bravely speaking up. Even I, a second-generation American, witness sexism daily. I often see my grandfathers sit at the dinner table without stepping in the kitchen, while my grandmothers labor, only eating the food they made after their spouses have finished. I have often asked my grandmothers why this happens, and they reply, “That’s just the way it is.” Sexism is still alive and present in our world today, and only by continuing to fight will it be eradicated. It is appalling but true.